Dental floss holder

ABSTRACT

An improved Dental Floss Holder for removing food particles lodged between the teeth of a person. It is of the type which retains a section or length of dental floss in taut position between a pair of spaced prongs for application between the person&#39;&#39;s teeth, and in which a fresh portion of the floss may be easily and quickly advanced into operative position between the prongs.

United States Patent 1191- Chambers Feb. 5, 1974 DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER [76] Inventor: Ondas s. Chambers, 1425 Walnut f' St. Alameda, Cam 9 4501 Asszstant ExammerGregory E. McNeill Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph B. Gardner [22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 282,125 57 ABSTRACT An improved Dental Floss Holder for removing food U-S. R particle lodged between the teeth of a person It is of II!- Clthe type retains a section or length of dental Field of Search 90, R, floss in taut position between a pair of paced prongs for application between the persons teeth, and in References Cited which a fresh portion of the floss may be easily and UNITED STATES PATENTS quickly advanced into operative position between the 2,554,426 5/1951 Dembenski 132/92 R prongs- 2,5l7,806 8/1950 Steiler 132/91 3,592,203 7/1971 Johnson 132/91 3 Clams 4 Drawmg F'gures PATENTEU FEB 5 4 IIiiA DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A dental floss holder of the type set forth herein provides a safe, sanitary, as well as a simple and efficient method for using dental floss in the manner described, the holder affording a much more effective method of removal of particles between the teeth than by customary manipulation of the floss held by the fingers of the person. It is quite desirable to remove the particles since otherwise they can lead to caries, gum deterioration, and offensive breath. Patent No. 3,289,681 for this type of holder has been issued to applicant.

PRIOR ART With most dental floss holders heretofore invented, difficulty has been met in retaining the floss strand in the desired taut condition and in readily advancing a fresh section of the strand when needed. Also, difficulty has been encountered in threading the strand through the holder particularly for initially placing the floss in the correct position in the holder.

OBJECTS Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a dental floss holder in which the dental strand may be quickly and easily threaded therethrough.

Another object is to insure the retention of the floss strand in taut condition notwithstanding relatively rough usage.

A further object is to provide a holder of the type in which all of the floss prior to being placed in position for use, is for the most part, kept within a closed compartment in the holder, and further the operation of closing the compartment will serve to increase the tautness of the portion of the floss in position to be applied to the teeth.

A still further object of the invention is to make the holder usable with floss supplied either in the form of coil or roll and without regard of whether the floss unwinds from the interior or exterior of the coil or roll.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the holder with the compartment for the floss closed, but with the section of the strand being shown in operative position:

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 1 but with the floss containing compartment in a fully opened position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the holder taken along line 3-3 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the holder supplied with floss wound on a spool instead of being wound in a coil.

DESCRIPTION The dental floss holder in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 comprises a body member 6 having a cavity 7 in which the dental floss for the use of the holder is received. Dental floss placed in the cavity is in the form of a cartridge or the like made up of floss wound into a coil 8. The cavity is somewhat longer than a more or less standard length of the coil and seats lengthwise in the cavity With the leading end of the strand of floss withdrawn from the interior of the coil at what may be termed the lower end 9 thereof, a space being left at the corresponding end of the cavity in order that the strand may be readily withdrawn from the coil such as when the strand is advanced.

The floss strand withdrawn from the coil is guided upwardly within the cavity adjacent one of the side walls 12 thereof and then leaves the cavity at the upper end thereof. The upper end of the cavity is defined by an outwardly extending end wall 13 from which projects a pair of divergently related prongs 14 and 16 extending from the Wall 13. The strand is arranged to extend through prong 14 to the other end thereof and thence across the gap between the prongs to the outer end of prong 16 so as to provide the strand portion to be used for cleansing the surfaces between adjacent teeth. From the end of prong 16 the strand extends back through the prong and thence back into the cavity 7 which it traverses along the opposite side wall 17 defining the cavity and thence exits from the cavity at the lower end wall 18 of the cavity.

On leaving the coil the floss strand is arranged to encircle a peg 19 extending upwardly from the cavity adjacent and spaced from the juncture of the lower end wall 18 and side wall 12. Extending upwardly from the bottom of the cavity and along wall 12 is a rack 21 of teeth 22 with the spaces between the teeth open at the top. The teeth are wedged-shape and have truncated ends. The rack is aligned longitudinally in the cavity with the peg 19, and the side of the peg facing wall 12 is so spaced therefrom that when the strand encircles the peg to leave same from said side and through the cavity, it will extend directly over the full length of the rack. From the peg 19 the strand when exiting from the cavity is guided through an open slot 24 in the side edge 26 of the upper end wall 13, the bottom of the slot being flush with the top surface of wall 12 and opens at the side edge of wall 13 for ready entry of the strand. Extending along the side 27 of prong 14 for the full length thereof and in registration with slot 24 is a groove 28 which leads to the free end of the prong. Prong 16 and the portion of end wall 13 associated therewith are provided with a groove 29 and slot 31 respectively, similar to the groove 28 in prong 16 and slot 24 in wall 13.

The floss extending from slot 24 is inserted in the groove 28 and led therefrom at the free end of the prong 14 to the corresponding end of prong 16 where it enters groove 29 and extends therethrough and slot 31 back into the cavity 7 and thence out therefrom through a slot 32 in bottom wall 18. A second rack 36 corresponding with rack 21 is located in the cavity 7 at the lower end 9 on the inner side of wall 17. The rear slot 32 is positioned to cause the strand to be guided over the teeth of the second rack.

A pair of fixed pegs 34 extend upwardly from within the cavity 7 and are positioned at the inner side of walls 12 and 17 so as to guide and retain the floss strand in position over the racks.

As will be understood, the portion 33 of the floss strand extending between the free ends of the two prongs is that which is arranged for entry in the spaces or areas between the teeth of a person. In using the holder, the person grips the body of the holder and inserts the strand portion 33 between adjacent teeth. Very little space usually occurs between the teeth, and in fact frequently the opposing sides of adjacent teeth are in tight contact with each other. Thus, it is neces- 'sary to have the strand portion 33 extremely taut in order that is may be reciprocated between the teeth. The holder is formed of one-piece construction of plastic material and includes as an integral part thereof a cover 37 having a cavity 38 corresponding more or less with cavity 7 of the body member 6. The cover is connected to the body member at the lower end wall 18 by means of a hinge 39 which is in the form of a thin flexible strip formed integral with and extending from the lower ends of the body and cover. The strip is narrower than the body and cover so as to avoid interference with the slot 32. The side walls 41 and 42 of the cover correspond in positioning with and are arranged to overlie and close upon the walls 12 and 17 when the cover is in closed position. Rearwardly extending clips 43 and 44 at the outer edge of end wall 13 provide resilient means for releasably retaining the cover in closed position.

Within the cavity of the cover are a pair of racks 46 and 47 positioned in relation to the rear wall and side walls of the cover as are the racks 21 and 36 in relation to the rear and side walls of the body. In the closed position of the cover the truncated wedged-shape teeth 48 of the racks 46 and 47 in the cover engage in the spaces between the teeth of the racks in the body. Due to the corresponding positioning of the racks in the body with respect to the racks in the cover, when the strands are positioned overthe racks in the cavity as shown in FIG. 2 and the cover then moved into closed position the teeth of racks 46 and 47 will enter the spaces in the racks 21 and 36 and thus firmly grip the floss and retain it between the teeth. It is important to note that due to the fact the racks are located adjacent the hinge, the teeth of the cover will progressively engage the spaces between the teeth in the body, the tooth closest to the hinge being first to engage in the space in the rack of the body member and retain the floss against movement. Thus, as succeeding teeth enter the related spaces the floss will be foreshortened in effective length and thus greatly increase the tautness of the floss throughout its length and including the portion between the prongs. Desirably a low wall 49 is provided at the inner side of each of racks 21 and 36 so as to aid in retention of the floss strand over the teeth, the top of the teeth being lower than the top of such wall and the top of the side walls 12 and 17.

The prongs 14 and 16 taper from the base to. the tip so that the portion nearer the base is stronger and has a more effective bond with the end wall 13.

Preferably a portion of the openings of the grooves 28 and 29 in the prongs are contracted to a degree possibly adjacent the inner ends thereof so that the floss will be confined within the grooves to a greater extent in the contracted portion than the other portion.

It will now be seen that the holder of the invention provides for quick and proper insertion of the floss in operative position in the holder. It is important to note that the strand of floss is essentially concealed in the holder except for the portionbetwe en the prongs. Further, since the strand does not have to be threaded through tubular prongs, as is the case with prior devices, but need only be inserted into the grooves 28 and 29 from the exterior of the prongs, the handling of the floss in threading it through the holder is not only faster but avoids thedanger of collection of food particles within the prongs as the strand is moved to present a fresh portion between the prongs.

ln FIG. 4 is shown how the holder retains a spool or roll of floss in place of the long coil. As here shown, the spool 52 of floss is contained in a removable retainer 53 having portions 54 and 56 for supporting the bottom and opposing sides respectively of the roll. The spool is positioned with its central axis in perpendicular relation to the bottom wall 57 of the body member and is retained against such wall by angular extensions 58 of the portions 56.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention has been set forth in considerable detail for purposes of making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A dental floss holder comprising a body with an open cavity adapted to receive a supply of dental floss therein, a pair of spaced prongs extending from an end of said body, the floss being arranged for positioning in the holder for extension thereof from the cavity and along one of the prongs, the free ends of the prongs being formed to receive the floss and support same across the space between the prongs, means along the second prong for guiding the floss back into the cavity, a cover for the body hinged to the end remote from said prongs, gripping means in the body to lock one end of the floss against movement thereof, and a pair of cooperating racks having interfitting teeth, one rack fixedly held in said cavity and the other held on the underside of said cover, said racks being positioned so that the teeth nearest the hinged end of the cover will mesh first as said cover is swung from open to closed position to thereby cause the floss between said nearest teeth to be gripped in place, and subsequently on engagement of the teeth more remote the hinge to cause the floss between its said ends to become foreshortened and thereby tauten the portions of the floss between the said prongs.

2. The dental floss holder in accordance with claim 1 in which means are provided on the body and cover to automatically lock the cover to the body when full engagement of the teeth of the cooperating racks is reached.

3. The dental floss holder of claim 2 having two sets of cooperating racks of teeth, each set for engaging a different end of the floss, said racks being located adjacent the hinged end of the body so as to engage the two ends of the floss simultaneously and thereby effect a foreshortening from both ends of the floss. 

1. A dental floss holder comprising a body with an open cavity adapted to receive a supply of dental floss therein, a pair of spaced prongs extending from an end of said body, the floss being arranged for positioning in the holder for extension thereof from the cavity and along one of the prongs, the free ends of the prongs being formed to receive the Floss and support same across the space between the prongs, means along the second prong for guiding the floss back into the cavity, a cover for the body hinged to the end remote from said prongs, gripping means in the body to lock one end of the floss against movement thereof, and a pair of cooperating racks having interfitting teeth, one rack fixedly held in said cavity and the other held on the underside of said cover, said racks being positioned so that the teeth nearest the hinged end of the cover will mesh first as said cover is swung from open to closed position to thereby cause the floss between said nearest teeth to be gripped in place, and subsequently on engagement of the teeth more remote the hinge to cause the floss between its said ends to become foreshortened and thereby tauten the portions of the floss between the said prongs.
 2. The dental floss holder in accordance with claim 1 in which means are provided on the body and cover to automatically lock the cover to the body when full engagement of the teeth of the cooperating racks is reached.
 3. The dental floss holder of claim 2 having two sets of cooperating racks of teeth, each set for engaging a different end of the floss, said racks being located adjacent the hinged end of the body so as to engage the two ends of the floss simultaneously and thereby effect a foreshortening from both ends of the floss. 